


Dark Path

by 852_Prospect_Archivist



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: AU, Alternate Universes, First Times, M/M, Other: See Story Notes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-10
Updated: 2013-05-10
Packaged: 2017-12-11 10:55:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/797861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/852_Prospect_Archivist/pseuds/852_Prospect_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim has to find his Guide before he's lost. Will he succeed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dark Path

## Dark Path

#### by Fanfic_Addict

  
© The characters belong to Pet Fly Productions, Paramount and UPN. No copyright infringement was intended.  
The Dark Sentinel/Guide universe and the GPD universe don't belong to me, I just borrowed some ideas for this text.  
NOT BETA READ! First Sentinel Story I've written.  
This story is a sequel to: 

* * *

Prologue   
By FanFic_Addict 

It was not known to the public, but if you -- as a Sentinel -- managed to capture a Dark Guide and bond with him your spirit would live forever with or without said Guide. This kind of information was only given to few selected people on earth and if you were one of those people you had to protect the knowledge with your life. 

It was this information a man named Eli Stoddard knew and protected, but he also knew that this information had been spread by an unworthy person and that the safety of one Dark Guide were threatened. 

* * *

Blair Sandburg a student and TA at Rainer University in Cascade were just about to collect his notes from the lecture, when four men came into the room. Unlucky for Sandburg every student and even the teacher had left, so he was alone with four -- Sentinels.

Blair's breath hitched and he took a deep breath to try and calm himself. He knew that one of them never would be able to bond with him, but now there were four of them and only one of him. He prepared himself for an attack. 

It didn't come. 

The four Sentinel's started to argue amongst themselves about who were going to bond with him and Blair saw his chance to escape. He took his backpack and ran for the door, and before either of the Sentinel's had had time to react he was running down the corridor to his teacher's office. If he could just drop of his backpack there everything would be fine. 

The teacher's room was open and he rushed in and locked the door. The man behind the desk, named Eli Stoddard, just looked at the spooked student and nodded. He gestured for Blair to come closer and when Blair handed him the backpack he hid it under his desk. 

"Thanks professor." Blair said with a smile. 

"No problem, Blair. Sentinels?" Stoddard asked with concerns, but Blair hadn't the time to answer because the door was kicked in and Blair quickly opened the window and jumped. 

Stoddard just stood and looked at the four angry men. "You have no right to be here, get out of my office!" He said with a firm voice and the four Sentinels just snarled at him and left the office in a run. 

* * *

Blair had nowhere to go, but he kept on running. His car stood in the car park outside the U, but he had had no time to get his car to start. It was an old classic Volvo and sometimes it would start and sometimes not.

It probably wouldn't start today just because he was in a hurry, so he had taken the only escape rout. To run like hell. Lucky he had left his backpack or he would never had gotten anywhere. He loved his backpack it was just that it had too much stuff in it to be of any help in his escape. Plus he had all of his important research in it. All the stuff about Dark Sentinels and Guides. 

He laughed. Here he was running for his life and at the same time he was thinking about his research. He rounded a corner and could see the crazy Sentinels further down the street. Where was he supposed to run, Blair thought and ran into a crowd of people. 

When he left the crowd he was so far from the U or any other place he knew that he just kept on running. Maybe they would tire and give up, Blair thought and rounded a corner. There stood one of the Sentinels and Blair stopped and started to turn back into the crowd, but the Sentinel grabbed him and started to pull him away from the crowd. 

"Oh, hey, man..." Blair said and tried to free himself, "You don't want to do this." The Sentinel just grinned feraly and dragged him along. 

"I mean, I'm not a good Guide, and I promise that if you knew anything about me you just wouldn't want to bond with me like this." Blair argued, but the Sentinel didn't argue back so Blair kept his mouth shut. Maybe he could overwhelm one of the Sentinel's senses and escape that way, but to do something like that was illegal and he bit his lip. It's not illegal to kidnap a Guide in broad daylight, but to overwhelm a Sentinel's senses to get away were illegal. He shook his head in disgust and tried to get free. 

Blair mood was not improved when he saw the other three Sentinels waiting for him by a garage door. If he should escape it was now. A car had just pulled up on the street behind him and he knew that if he just could get to the car the Sentinel's wouldn't follow. He hoped. 

Blair made his move, when the Sentinel that held him slipped with his fingers in the jacket Blair wore, he quickly shred his jacket, jumped in front of the car, which didn't have enough time to stop and hit him. Blair fell to the ground, but by then the Sentinel's had backed away and Blair crawled to the car door and opened it. 

"Please help me..." he said and the man driving the car just nodded and helped him into the car. 

When they were on the way the man turned to him and asked with a worried voice, "What happened, I mean in one second you were on the sidewalk and in the next you were almost under my car?" 

"I'm sorry sir, it's just that those Sentinel's were trying to bond with me without my permission." Blair said with a cough and he could feel that a couple of his ribs were cracked. Shit, he thought and turned to the man. "Were are we going?" 

"To the hospital." The man said and smiled. 

Blair just groaned and hung his head. Not another Sentinel, he couldn't take this anymore. "Please just let me of at the next stop light, please?" 

The Sentinel just shook his head and Blair got angry. "You have no right to help me and I'm NOT going to the hospital." He said with his Guide voice and the Sentinel stopped the car and Blair got out. "Thank you." Blair snarled and shut the door with a slam. 

When he looked around he didn't recognize the neighborhood. The streets names were unknown to him and he just kept on walking. 

* * *

When Blair and the Sentinels had left his office he picked up the phone and dialed the police. To hunt a Dark Guide were not illegal, but he knew he had to do something to help his favorite student.

The police listened to him and made the usual nice about keeping a lookout for a running Guide and closed the connection. Eli swore and looked around to try and figure out what he was supposed to do. 

Then out of nowhere and idea came to mind and he followed his instincts. He grabbed Blair's backpack and headed for the police station. 

* * *

Jim had had a lousy day at the precinct and hadn't any time to deal with people in general, but when the call came in about some rouge Sentinel's chasing a man from the Rainer University he took the call.

Something about that made his hair in the neck stand at attention and his sixth sense told him to get the rouge Sentinels away from the street and to protect the man they were chasing. 

The young man's teacher had called in the incident and he was concerned that the Sentinels would do something so rash and in the daytime too. The student by the name of Blair Sandburg had come running into the professors office to then take of when the Sentinel's had kicked the door in. 

Jim was now headed for the professor to get some information and maybe some sense impression so that he could find the student. When he stepped out in the parking lot outside the University he could feel something familiar. Like he had been here a dozen times before and that whoever this student was he was someone that Jim just had to protect. Like the other part of himself was missing and he had to find him. 

An elderly man just walked down the steps from the front door and something about him told Jim all he needed to know and he walked up to the man. 

"Professor? My name is Detective Jim Ellison. Was it you that called in the incident here with one Mr. Sandburg?" He asked, but he already knew the answer. He could feel the hair on his arms stand at attention, and then smell a scent that called to him. 

"Well, yes. I'm Eli Stoddard, Blair's teacher and it was me that phoned the police, but I didn't think you were going to do anything about it so I was just going to the police to convince someone to help. Looks like I've found someone." He said with a smile and Jim nodded. 

Jim sniffed the air and started to follow the nice scent to the backpack. So it was Blair's backpack the man named Eli was carrying, he thought and leaned a little closer to the pack. He touched the leather and drew in some lungfulls of the luring and exotic scent. 

Eli just stood quiet with a smile on his face while he let the detective examine the backpack. A tingling went through him and he just knew that Jim would be the right Sentinel for Blair. But didn't that mean that Jim was a Dark Sentinel? Eli studied the detective in front of him. 

As a guardian of the Dark Secret Eli had a knack for pairing Sentinels and Guides together and he could feel that whatever happened Jim would make sure that Blair was safe. He slowly lowered the backpack to the ground and took some steps back. Jim had a primal look on his face when he looked the professor in the eyes. 

"Take care of it, Sentinel." Eli said with his hands up and backed away, "Protect it and protect your Guide." 

Jim nodded with a glint in his eyes and picked up the backpack, "Tell me what you know... Guardian." He asked with a growl and Eli nodded and studded by the stairs. 

He was a little shocked that the detective and figured out who he was just by looking at him, but at the same time he was not. If Jim was a Dark Sentinel, which he probably was, he could easily see to the bottom of your soul and know you from just one look. He shuddered and started talking. 

* * *

The streets were starting to get more friendly and when Blair saw a big house, with lights on and a warm feeling to it, he almost went inside to warm himself. The only thing that drove him on was the feeling that that wasn't what he was looking for and that he had to keep moving to find the safe haven that was necessary for him to heal.

His ribs were aching and his head felt like mush, his lip had finally stopped bleeding, but his leg was killing him. The pulling feeling was still there and he listened to it. The voice at the back of his head that told him that his Sentinel was nearby. He didn't understand the voice or the need, but decided to follow it anyway. 

* * *

Jim was walking in a jungle and he immediately felt at home there. The smells and sounds made him relax and he smiled, but after a while he started got get the feeling that he wasn't supposed to relax but find something. So he started to look behind every rock and tree, but nothing. He couldn't find it.

After what felt like many hours he sat down and opened up his senses and at once he got a whiff of something familiar. It was that scent from the backpack. Blair's scent. Jim smiled and stood. He started to walk again and this time he knew exactly where he was going and when he reached a clearing he could see a hurt wolf lying in the thick vegetation. He hurried over and started to check the animal. 

It had cracked ribs and head wound, his nose were also bleeding and one of his legs were twisted in a weird way. 

Oh my god! A wolf Guide!? He thought and carefully stroked the injured animals fur. 

Jim soothed the animal and with a growl he looked around for the bad men that had done this to _his_ Guide and he could feel then close by. He could see a bear, a jaguar, a lion and a cougar standing in the woods close to the clearing and Jim snarled and stood. 

He could feel his body change and all of a sudden he was a panther and he could feel his anger building. Now the primitive part of him would take over and remove these threats to his Guide. 

With a roar he attacked the Cougar and snapped it's neck in one bite. The next one to be attacked was the lion, but the lion fought back and Jim found himself hurt from a wound in his chest but he couldn't care less. His fury rose and this fight would only end when they were all dead. Jim then attacked the lion again and his claws tore out the throat and it fell dead to ground. 

Jim stopped for a second to lick his claws before he turned to the jaguar. They were the same height and build, but Jim knew that his anger would win, and after just a couple of attacks the jaguar was lying on the ground bleeding from a nasty wound in its side. Jim roared in triumph and turned to the bear. It was a black bear with a nasty looking scar over its face. 

The black bear started to circle him, but Jim stood calm and relaxed and waited for the bear to attack. When it did Jim was prepared and jumped up on the bear's back and bit down in his neck and after a long while the bear tired and fell dead to the ground. Jim roared in victory and licked his whiskers. 

He transformed back to human and quickly hurried over to the hurt wolf -- who wasn't a wolf anymore but a hurt human -- his Blair. Jim knelt down and took the young man in his arms and held him close for a long while. 

Later the man turned back to a beautiful timber wolf and almost all his injuries were healed. Jim smiled and he turned back into a panther. He then lay down and snuggled close to the wolf and nuzzled the lovely neck and breathed in the lovely scent. 

* * *

Jim woke up from his... daydream, with a wicked smile and looked around the parking-lot of the university before he gave caught his attention and he followed his nose to a green Volvo. He just had to smile. Jim could see the man in front of him who owned this car and now one Jim Ellison's heart. A young caring man with a brilliant mind and a sharp tongue.

He called in the precinct to let them know that they should pick up Blair's car and that he would continue his search for the young man. 

All his senses were screaming at him to find the young man and fast. He growled a little when he couldn't find any other lead to the student. 

He even went to the man's home, a warehouse of all places and visited some of Blair's friends that Professor Stoddard had given him as contacts if he needed them. Jim smiled, he liked the professor, but he couldn't keep the smile on his face for long. He needed to find Blair. 

Many hours later he gave up and went home with his ears ringing with his captain's loud voice in his ears telling him to pack it in and get some rest before they started looking for the missing man tomorrow. Jim had to agree, it was late and his body ached from a day of using his unstable senses to try and locate Blair. 

He went to bed with a headache and hoped that his Guide was well and with that thought he fell asleep. 

* * *

While Jim had been looking for Blair someone found four Sentinel's lying dead in an alley, bleeding from wounds on their body that only a wild animal could have caused. One of them had a nasty looking scar on his face and an ugly snarl on his dead face.

The discovery quickly made it to the news and it was with a brilliant smile that Stoddard saw the news about the dead Sentinels and could only hope that the information about the Dark Guide was safely buried and dead with the four men. 

He then sent a thought to the young man and his Sentinel. He hoped they would be okay. 

* * *

Dark Match  
By FanFic_Addict

The first thing Jim Ellison heard was a fast and unsteady heartbeat, which woke him from a nice dream about a panther and a beautiful timber wolf. Then he heard a ragged breath, which made him sit up in bed and he identified the source of the sound, a person outside on the street. The thing that got him moving though was the scent. 

Jim Ellison was the Dark Sentinel of Cascade and his job as a detective had him mapping the person long before he even had his jeans and shoes on. The person outside the loft was male, had an earthy and spicy smell and was obviously in pain. Jim almost ran down the stairs when he recognised the smell as his one and true Guide. 

To find a Dark Guide in modern time was as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack, with or without the Sentinel abilities. And now to have his Guide within reach made him run even faster. He could feel the bonding heat take over and his senses got sharper. 

When he threw the street door open and ran out on the street to help the Guide, he was gone. With a growl Jim tracked the luring scent and followed it down the street for a couple of hundred metres. He only had his jeans and shoes on and nothing else, but the urge to find his Guide made him forget everything else and he almost zoned. 

A kind, but firm voice got him back to the present but now the scent and the presence of his Guide were gone. With an angry cry the Sentinel continued to search for the Guide throughout the night and the next morning he stumbled into the police department with an expression that could have scared the most hard nosed criminal. 

When he entered the bullpen Captain Simon Banks spotted him and hurried over to Jim. He was wise enough not to touch the other man and just stood beside him to offer some support. 

"What happened Jim?" He asked with a kind but firm voice, almost like the voice that had helped Jim out from the zone and Jim made a hurt sound. He was not aware what he looked like and that he had a weird look on his face. 

Simon then decided, 'to hell with the Sentinel rules', and helped Jim to his desk and sat the other man down. 

The rules was that no 'normal' human could touch an un-bonded Sentinel when he was out of it because that could make the Sentinel attack or try to bond with the other person even though the person wasn't a guide. Simon Banks was sure that Jim wouldn't do that to him so he got a cup of coffee and sat down beside Jim. 

"Now Jim, I want you to tell me what happened?" Simon could see that the other man wasn't really there, because his pupils were totally dilated and his focus seemed to be somewhere else. 

Just when Simon was about to press the man and shake the answer out of him, Rafe and Henry Brown entered the bullpen and saw the state of their friend and the concerned look on their Captain's face. 

Henry was also a Sentinel, but not a Dark one, and he quickly went over to Jim and Rafe took his place just behind his Sentinel. 

"What happened?" Henri asked, but before Simon could answer Rafe interrupted, "He's searching for his Guide." 

Rafe said that with such conviction that neither the Sentinel nor the Captain could argue. At the same time Jim made a deep rumbling sound in his throat and stood. He had no time to sit here and listen to Rafe and the other guys stating the obvious. With a last look around to make sure that his Guide wasn't at the police station he hurried on. 

Before he could make it out of the bullpen Henri blocked his way and Jim glared at him to move, but Henri stood his ground. 

"Move Henri or I'll move you myself." He growled and grabbed the other man's shirt. 

"Hey, easy Jim," Rafe said and grabbed the Dark Sentinel, a mistake. Jim threw him off and snarled, "Wrong Guide!" 

"We know, Jim, but we need you to put some clothes on and stop to think for a moment." Henri tried to reason, and the tone in the other man's voice made Jim stop for a moment. While Henri helped Rafe up from the floor and checking his Guide for injury, Jim had calmed down and was moaning. 

"He's hurt and I can't find him..." 

Henri and Rafe looked at each other and decided that the best way to find a lost guide was to tell the Captain about it. 

Simon had stood in the background when that little scene had played out. He had no problems with his best friends being Sentinels and Guides, but he just didn't know how to handle them at times like these. All this Sentinel business was a little hard to understand for him, even though he had many Sentinel/Guide parings at the station. 

He knew that all Sentinels needed a Guide to help them and keep control of them when the ride got rough. Simon had overheard Jim's moan and was headed into his office when Rafe, Brown and Jim joined him. 

"I heard," he said before anyone of his detectives could say anything, "and I agree. I'll put out an APB on this person if Jim can give me an description." 

When Simon said that Jim's head snapped up and he starred out the window. With a motion so fast that neither man could see anything Jim was gone and running for the stairs. The Major Crimes Unit were on the seventh floor, but Jim took the stairs so fast that he was at the bottom when Rafe and Henri started down the stairs after him. 

* * *

Blair Sandburg was on his way home from Rainier when he got jumped by some rouge Sentinels. He had managed to get away, but he had no way of telling where he was going after that because one of his eyes was so badly bruised that he couldn't see. The worst thing though was that even though he could walk he had some cracked ribs, which made it hard to breath and maybe a concussion.

When he turned up at Prospect Avenue in the middle of the night he had no idea how he got there, but when he did he could feel a sense of calm coming from one of the buildings. He really wanted to go there, but then he felt the present of an un-bonded Sentinel and he quickly changed his mind. Blair knew that he had to get away or the Sentinel would find him and bond even though it was in the middle of the night. Blair didn't want a Sentinel right now, even though his mind screamed to him to go to the Sentinel. 

A bus pulled up just beside him and he jumped on and could feel the Sentinel coming. He told the driver that he didn't have any small coins but that he would gladly give him his watch if he just stepped on it. 

The driver nodded and took the watch and just as the buss pulled around the corner Blair could see the Sentinel rush out on the street with a lost look when he realised that his Guide was gone. Blair could feel the buzz from the Sentinel, but he brushed that aside and concentrated on getting home. 

Blair never got home because the buss driver didn't drive to his part of town by the docks, so he had to wander the street all night long in the search of a hospital or something. 

That search made him walk subconsciously towards the buzz of the bond and the Dark Sentinel. Even though he didn't want to bond he needed the Sentinel's strength to help him. He could see that a lot of Sentinels on his way there scented him, but he couldn't care less. They knew that they didn't have a chance to bond with this guide so they left him alone. 

When Blair walked the street just outside the police station he felt the buzz and stopped to look towards one of the windows. In there he could feel the other man looking at him, and he had to fight down his panic to stand still and wait for the other man to come to him. 

As he stood there he could see another Sentinel come towards him and he backed up a step, but the other Sentinel didn't care and came closer. The Sentinel could feel the week state the Guide was in and decided to take his chance with this guide, but before the Sentinel could even get within six foot of him he was thrown through the air by another Sentinel. 

The other Sentinel was Jim, and he snarled at his colleague Jack Weiss from Vice before he stepped between the hurt man and the weaker Sentinel. 

"How dare you approach what's mine." Jim growled and Jack took a step back, "He's hurting and you were about to take advantage of him. I'm so angry I could kill you!" Jim shouted and the crowd around them stopped and took some steps back from the Dark Sentinel. Even the normal people could feel the anger coming from the other Sentinel. 

Jack gulped and didn't answer, he just took some steps back and then walked away. He wasn't a coward, but seeing the other Sentinel act that way and feeling the anger made him back away and leave before the other Sentinel killed him. 

When Jack left the scene and the people started moving again Jim turned towards the other man and caught him just as he lost consciousness. 

Rafe and Brown had stood in the doorway with their mouths wide open. They had never seen Ellison act that way before. They saw that Jim carefully picked up the other man and carried him towards them. Jim's expression made the other men smile secret smiles towards each other and followed the Senior Sentinel back to Major Crimes. 

Jim kept talking to the unconscious man, and Rafe and Brown called an ambulance to come and pick up the hurt man. Simon came out of his office where he had stood and seen the whole thing from his window. He couldn't keep the smile of his face when Jim walked towards him with the hurt Guide in his arms, talking none stop about nothing and making soothing noises. 

"Seems you found your Guide at last." Simon said and Jim just nodded and kept talking. Rafe, Brown and the rest of Major Crimes stood and watched their Senior Sentinel take care of the hurt man as if he was made of glass. Neither one of them would get close, because they knew that Jim would freak out if they got to close to his Guide. 

When the ambulance arrived the crew tried to take care of the hurt man, but Jim wouldn't let go and they decided that they could check the hurt man for serious injury right in the bullpen. They finished up quickly and when they had bandaged the ribs and the head they gave the detective some painkillers and stood to leave. There were no point in trying to separate the two men and the paramedics left with some muttered comments about possessive Sentinels. 

Jim just sat behind his desk with the smaller man in his arms. He could feel the heartbeat and feel the blood flowing through the other man's veins. The earthy and spicy scent lured him nearer and he soon had his face pressed to the other man's neck. Jim could feel the bonding heat starting to take over his mind, but he refused. He wouldn't take advantage of the hurt man like Jack had tried to do. 

Just the thought of that made him growl and the other man twitched in his arms. Jim kept his head where it was against the throat and didn't move a muscle as the other man slowly came to. 

* * *

Blair could feel the headache when he started to come to. He could also feel a tight pressure over his abused ribs and a warm body all around him. When that thought registered Blair started to panic and tried to get away, but the strong arms held him in place.

"please... please... I'll be good, just let me go, please..." Blair moaned and tried to push away the other person. That just made Jim hold him harder and Blair moaned in pain. 

Jim loosened the grip a bit and talked with a calm voice into the other man's neck, "I'm not going to hurt you Chief. You're hurt and I want to make sure that you don't move around to much and hurt yourself even more." 

When Jim said that Blair relaxed, but tensed up again when he could feel the bonding heat from the Sentinel. Jim understood immediately and just licked the other man on the neck over a nasty looking bruise. 

"Shh, relax... I wont hurt you," Jim said and nuzzled the lovely neck some more, but didn't do anything threatening. Blair started to relax and after a short while he was asleep. Jim tucked some loose hair strands behind an ear and continued to scent his Guide. He almost jumped out of his skin when he felt a hand on his shoulder. 

"Take him home Jim." Simon said and left Jim alone. Jim decided that that was a very good idea and within minutes he had a ride home and Blair still securely in his arms. 

"Thanx guys." He said with a smile and Rafe and Henri smiled back. 

"Anything to make you smile like that Jim." Henri said with a grin and continued towards Prospect Avenue and the loft. Rafe just huffed a quiet laugh and with a knowing smile he laid a hand on his Sentinel's tight. 

"I remember you smiling like that too when you found me." Rafe grinned and Henri huffed a little and gave Rafe a quick kiss on his cheek. 

"Stop teasing the driver or you'll find yourself in a ditch." Henri said with a not so serious face. Rafe laughed and Jim smiled at them both from the back seat. 

Blair hadn't moved or made a sound during the whole trip and only his steady heartbeat and somewhat ragged breath made Jim relax a little and enjoy his friends teasing conversation. 

* * *

In the loft Jim carefully put Blair down on his own bed and then made his way to the bathroom to clean up. He knew that his Guide needed to clean up and that made Jim fill up the bathtub and used his senses to get the right temperature. When he was finished he stripped down and threw his jeans in the hamper and went upstairs to put some boxers on and help his Guide to a bath.

He gently shook his Guide and waited, he didn't want to scare the other man so he took some steps back. The feeling of rightness and calm surrounded Jim for the first time in his life and he smiled down at the other man. His senses were so sharp that if he tried he could see the molecules in the air. 

"Chief, wake up, you need to take a bath." The other man stirred but didn't wake up. Jim then decided that drastic measures were in order, so he lifted up the other man and started to nuzzle and lick the other man's neck. The necks were all Guides sensitive zones, and when a Sentinel bit the Guide on the neck he claimed his Guide for all to see. 

When the bonding heat almost took over Blair woke up and gave a moan of pleasure. Jim could feel the Guide's defence come down and he wanted nothing more then to claim his Guide, but his heart wouldn't let him and with a strained sound he pulled away. Blair came to with a start. The bonding heat had made him relax and almost give away his freedom and that made him try to push the Sentinel away. 

"please..." was the only sound he got out between his bruised lips and that made the Sentinel calm down and Jim took over. 

"Shh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that... it's just that you are..." He stopped, lifted the smaller guide and started to walk down the stairs towards the bathroom, "You need to take a bath and I'll help you, just lay back and enjoy the ride." 

Blair raised and eyebrow and rolled his eyes. He felt very calm and relaxed in the Sentinel's arms and didn't complain when the Sentinel sat down in the bath behind him. Right now he needed someone stronger to take care of him, but he wouldn't give up his freedom by bonding with this man. 

"Sorry to ask Chief, but what's your real name? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to... but I just thought--" Blair stopped the flow by putting his hand over the other man's mouth and gave the Sentinel a big smile. 

"It's all right Sentinel. My name is Blair Sandburg." He said with a wink in his eye and the Sentinel had to bite his lip not to lean down and kiss those bruised lips senseless. Blair understood what the Sentinel was feeling the moment he felt it. Because of his emphatic abilities he could read people with or without touching them and Sentinels in general wasn't so hard to read because they had a tendency to overdo every emotion quite a bit. 

"Sentinel, dial the senses down and focus on my voice. Come back to me now." Blair said when he noticed that the bigger man had zoned on him. He started to rub circles on the bigger mans arms and kept talking until he could feel the other man move. 

"Did you zone on me?" Blair asked with curiosity and turned a bit so he could see the other man's expression. That expression made Blair shudder. It was both feral, calm and focused. 

"Oh yes, I zoned on you my Guide." The Sentinel said and tightened his arms around the smaller man's waist, "You feel so good, taste so good and your scent is so unique that I could find you anywhere." He said with his mind full of haze. Jim didn't know what was happening to him, but he could feel the Sentinel in him respond to the proximity of his Guide. He started to wash the smaller man with the washcloth and did the hair last. 

When Jim was finished the smaller man had his eyes closed and a blissful expression on his face. The Sentinel took pride in making his Guide relax and when he had washed himself quickly he stood and helped the other man out of the tub. Blair's eyes were still closed and when Jim started to rub him dry he gave a sigh of pleasure. 

It was such a long time ago that Blair couldn't remember when he last had had a full body scrub and a full scalp massage. He couldn't understand why this Sentinel, that had a body like a Greek sculpture would want him. Blair, the geek. The Senior Sentinel of the Cascade Clan needed someone worthy of him. That thought made him open his eyes and stare at the Sentinel in front of him while the Sentinel continued to rub him dry. 

If this Sentinel was the Senior Sentinel, didn't that mean that he was a Dark Sentinel and wouldn't that mean that he was a Dark Guide? The thought almost made him faint, but he grabbed Jim's shoulders and tried to steady himself. 

Jim could hear that something had upset his Guide so he finished the rub down and remained on his knees in front of the shaking Guide. He didn't move a muscle as Blair got his breath back and started to calm down. 

"You're a Dark Sentinel." It was not a question and Jim held his tongue. "That would mean that I'm a Dark Guide." Blair said with an unsteady voice. 

Jim didn't say anything but looked up at the other man. What Blair saw there almost made him loose his breath. All Jim's defences were down and Blair could see all the way down to the deepest and darkest corners of Jim's soul. What he saw made him gasp, but he didn't back away and Jim remained to the floor by his feet unmoving. 

Blair started to rub Jim's hair and after a while he sat down on the toilet. "Could you please tell me why?" Blair asked and looked so lost that Jim just wanted to hold him. 

"Why what?" Jim asked back and rubbed Blair's calves. 

"Why would I be a Dark Guide? I have never done anything that would make me one." Blair said with a heavy sigh and Jim made a growling sound and took Blair's hands in his. 

"Come here." He said and carefully led the smaller man to sit on the couch in the living room, Jim then put on some new bandage and put a blanket over Blair. 

"Now listen here Blair." He said with a stern voice and sat down in front of Blair on the floor. Jim didn't want to intimidate the other man, and the difference in height and clothes might work to make him less intimidating. 

"I don't know why you would think that you need to have done something to be a Dark Guide. I'm a Dark Sentinel, and I can tell you right now that I was born this way. I am what I am and I'm proud to be the Dark Sentinel of my tribe. You should be proud that you are the Dark Guide of the Cascade Clan and my partner." Jim stopped and took a deep breath, he could feel that the other man wasn't relaxing, "Let's start again. My name is Jim Ellison, Dark Sentinel of the Cascade Clan, and you are?" He held out his hand and looked up into the other man's eyes. 

Jim could feel and see the other man fighting not to let his defences fall and Jim did nothing to threaten him, he just heal out his hand and waited. After a while Blair took the hand in his and shook. 

"Name's Blair Sandburg... Dark Guide and a student at Rainer." Blair wasn't letting his guard down, but he smiled a little and let go of the other man's hand. Jim smiled back and put his freed hand over Blair's heart and closed his eyes. 

Jim could feel the heart thump in the beloved chest, he could feel all the small hair on Blair's chest rubbing against his hand, he could hear the heartbeat and every breath, he breathed in the unique scent if his Guide and then he took the free hand and stroked it over Blair's stomach and then licking his palm and taste his Guide on his own skin. 

All the while Blair sat motionless on the couch and just watched the other man sensing him. The action made him really look at Jim and feel all the emotions that Jim wasn't afraid of showing. Blair lowered his barrier a bit and could feel that Jim was in total control over the Sentinel that just wanted to bond and that was what made Blair trust Jim and the Sentinel side of him. 

"I'm just afraid I'll lose my freedom if I bond with a Sentinel. I'm a very independent person and I travel a lot, if I bond and my Sentinel took away my wings I would -- I can't take the risk of loosing all that I have just because you want me." Blair said with a sad voice and Jim heard the hidden fears behind the words. 

"I would never do that to a person and least of all you." Jim said and laid his head on Blair's knee, "If you want to go on a trip around the world or anywhere else I would come with you. Your freedom is important to me and I would never put you in a cage." 

Blair's chest felt heavy with all the emotions and when he saw and felt how sincere Jim was his defences just crumbled and he lay back on the couch and tilted his neck back. 

"Sentinel claim your Guide." 

With those four words Jim's mind went from calm and reassuring to a Sentinel in bonding heat. He could feel the Guide's barriers fall and roared in triumph. The Sentinel then let his own barriers fall and their minds started to seep into each other. Jim then nuzzled the beloved neck and licked it a couple of times before he threw away the blanket and laid his Guide down under him. 

"Mine." Jim growled and the smile Blair gave him made the Dark Sentinel roar and he bit down hard on the smaller man's neck. Blair shouted in shock, but quickly started to moan and wiggle under the heavier man. When Jim bit down their minds became one and the Sentinel's barriers came up to protect them both. His guide's barriers were forever combined with his and for the first time in his life Jim Ellison felt love for another human being. 

* * *

Blair shouted when Jim bit him on the neck, but quickly surrendered and felt the teeth break his skin. He didn't really care and when the Sentinel's barriers came up to protect them both Blair let out a sob of relief and love and hugged Jim tight.

Blair could feel Jim's hard on poking him between his tights and he spread his legs to welcome the other man. 

"Claimed and marked Sentinel." Blair whispered and hooked his legs around Jim's hips, "Make me yours, Sentinel. Take your Guide and make me yours." 

Jim moaned and started to purr, just like a large jungle cat and he let go of Blair's neck and licked away the small amount of blood before he took the Guide's lips in a tender kiss. 

"but you're a virgin." Jim said with a small voice and Blair just hugged him tighter. 

"Jim, I'm 22 and I think I can judge for my self when I shall loose it. Don't you think?" Blair said with a strained voice, but stopped himself and kissed Jim wherever he could reach. 

The Sentinel in Jim told him to shut up and get on with it. Even his hard on wanted him to move so he did and Blair gave away a small sound of pleasure. Jim then reached for his couch table drawer and pulled out a bottle of hand lotion, he shrugged and poured out a great amount of it in one hand and spread Blair's cheeks with the other. 

Blair could feel the heavy organ throb between his tights and he gently took it between his fingers and started to stroke it. Over him he could hear Jim's panting breath and knew that Jim was close so he stopped and wiggled his ass. 

* * *

It took Jim all his sense of self-control not to just grab Blair's hips and pound into him with all the power he could give, but his concentration was broken when Blair started to play with his dick. He growled deep in his throat and claimed his Guide's mouth in a bruising kiss.

"I can't--" he began but Blair hushed him and took hold of Jim's dick. 

"Now Jim. I want you now. Give me your all. Don't you dare hold back!" Blair said with a commanding voice. And with that all Jim's control slipped out of his fingers and with a roar of pleasure he spread Blair's legs even wider and propped them up over his shoulders. He then spread the hand lotion over his thick organ and between Blair's cheeks and into the small but lose hole. 

Blair was so relaxed that he didn't feel any pain when Jim entered him with one long stroke and filled him. Both Jim and Blair could feel their souls collide and be one with that one stroke. Blair then levered himself up and took hold of Jim's shoulders to bring him down to his level. He then made a keening sound when Jim's cock found his prostate. After that he pulled Jim to him and instead of kissing him he bit down hard onto Jim's neck so that he drew blood. 

Jim bucked and cried out in rage, but before he could do anything he could feel the tender tongue of his mate licking away the blood. 

"Claimed and marked, Sentinel." Blair said with a smug voice and Jim growled and decided that one bite wasn't enough, so he started to bite Blair wherever he could reach all the while pumping with his powerful hips and driving Blair wild with need. 

But Jim wouldn't give Blair the release he needed, because every time Blair was close Jim backed down a notch and kept Blair from coming. In the end the only sound you could hear from Blair was small keening noises begging for release. 

"please jim, just please... let me come... let me... jiiiiiiim..." 

Jim ignored them and kept on pumping and biting, and when he felt his own release closing he flipped the other man around and started to pound into him with a quicker tempo and more force. 

Blair was now screaming and trying to jerk himself of, but every time he tried Jim's hand was there to swat his hand away. Blair couldn't believe that he would come just from having his Sentinel inside him. Neither one of them had touched his cock yet. Just the thought of that made Blair's control shatter and he came with a silent scream. 

Right after Blair's release Jim came with a howl and bit down on Blair's neck. That was the most powerful orgasm he had ever had and he could feel Blair trembling with the strain of standing on all four with Jim on top. Jim then helped Blair to lie down and started to sooth his Guide with small kissed where he could reach. 

Blair was so sated that he could feel his body hum with it. If he had been told that he would loose his virginity to a man and that that man would be a Sentinel he would have kicked that person in the butt, but now when he lay here he could feel nothing but rightness. This was right. This was what he was supposed to do, and where he belonged. Tears escaped his eyes and Jim turned to look at him when he smelled the salty scent of tears. 

"Hey Blair, Chief. What's the matter? Did I hurt you?" Jim said with a concerned voice and started to check for injuries. 

Blair sniffed and smiled, "No, not hurt, happy, man." And with that he laid himself over his Sentinel's broad chest and slept. 

* * *

Jim couldn't sleep at first and lay awake to enjoy the feeling of belonging and security. He knew that he and Blair would always stick together even though the going got rough, but the thing that really warmed his heart was that Blair had so willingly given up his fears and trusted Jim even though he had been afraid of loosing his freedom.

Jim vowed that he would never cause Blair to feel trapped and that he would ensure that Blair had all the freedom he needed. The only thing that Jim was afraid of was his Guide's involvement in his work. He knew that Blair would insist to be his backup at work, but he didn't want to put his Guide in those kind of dangerous situations. 

Problem was that if he refused his Guide's wish he knew that a bit of that trust that Blair had placed in him would disappear and Jim couldn't stand the thought. That decided he stroked his Guide's hair and nuzzled down so that his nose was pressed against the bite marks at Blair's neck. And with the reassuring heartbeat just over him he was lulled to sleep. 

They both dreamt about a jungle and themselves as a timber wolf and a panther running besides each other and feeling the soothing connection and peace between each other. 

* * *

Dark Understanding  
By FanFic_Addict

They woke up rested with big grins on their faces. Both of them were happy over the bond between them and the mutual understanding. The only thing that scared Blair was the fact that they had to face Jim's boss and his colleagues this morning and he had a bad feeling about the whole thing. 

He was neither a cop nor anything like that and he wondered if it was hard to get to be one. His dissertation had been about an old civilization, but maybe if he could change his dissertation and write about the closed society of the police station, maybe Simon would let them work together then. 

With a smile he opened his eyes and saw that Jim had been looking at him for a while, because he was fully wake with a shit eating grin on his face. And before Blair had a chance to understand what the grin was about he felt Jim's hand sneak up between their bodies. 

"Good morning, Guide." The Sentinel said and kissed said Guide on the lips. 

"'Morning, big guy!" Blair answered with a gasp after Jim's lips had left his mouth and started to explore more intimate parts, "Hey, Jim, man. slow down..." 

Jim looked down at him and stopped for a second with a grin, "You're right, we're going to be late." 

Blair pushed at Jim to get some room and said with a stern voice, "And we are so NOT going to be late, man," he paused and looked at Jim's state, "I'll race you to the shower." 

And with that they flew up from the bed and were running down the stairs when they heard a knock on the door and then the door flew open. In came Jack Weiss and Simon Banks. Jim came to a halt at the bottom of the stairs and Blair ran into his broad back, and before he knew it he was well protected behind Jim and the other men couldn't see nothing of him. 

"What is this, Simon?" Jim demanded with a hiss and took a step closer to the men at the door. 

Simon didn't know where to look so he looked everywhere but at the two men in front of him. "Sorry Jim, but you didn't answer your phone or opened the door when we knocked--" but before he could continue Jack broke in. He wasn't ashamed to look at Jim so he continued to look. 

"What the Captain mean is that we have tried to get in contact with you for some time and you haven't answered." Jack said with a teasing voice and took a step closer to Jim, "and I can see that you have bonded with your Guide, congratulation Jim." He smiled and tried to look behind Jim to get a glimpse of Blair, but a growling sound from Jim made him stop. 

Jack almost laughed at the state Jim was in, he had a boner, which by the way were slacking and his face had a 'I want to claim my Guide right here look'. It would have been even more fun if Blair's discontent hadn't rolled of him in waves and that made Jack take some steps back. No one wanted a pissed of Guide at their neck. 

"Aww, this suck." They all could hear from behind Jim's back. Blair wasn't happy with this situation at all and they all could sense it, even Banks who took a step back and pulled Jack with him. 

"I apologise again Jim, but we really need you help. Could you be ready in ten minutes?" Simon said with a soft but stern voice. 

"Of course Captain." Jim said with his military voice and when the door closed behind them Jim rushed them both into the bathroom, "Chief, if I don't bond with you now I'll go crazy." Blair believed him because Jim had a feral, almost wild expression on his face. 

"Shh, I know." He said with his new found Guide voice that was just for Jim, "Sentinel claim your Guide." 

With that Jim dove for his neck and bit down with force and they both could feel their bond strengthen and their minds combine. Jim pushed Blair against the wall and hissed, "How dare that Jack fellow come into my home when he knew that I had just bonded. I'm so pissed of Chief, just so you know." 

Blair smiled and stroked Jim's back, "but it's okay because you have me and he hasn't." When Blair said that he could feel Jim relax and lift him up so he had his legs around Jim's hips. 

"Brace yourself Chief." Jim said with a rough voice and pushed all the way into Blair in one stroke. It was as if Blair tight channel knew that Jim was coming and relaxed totally. It still hurt a bit, but the hurt soon dissolved and the pleasure spiked. It fascinated Blair, but he stopped thinking when Jim started to grunt and push harder. 

"Let go Jim, I've got you." And when he said that Jim came with a shout and when Blair could feel Jim empty his seed in his channel he came with a louder shout. 

They were both late for the meeting, but Simon couldn't complain because when he saw their smiles he just shrugged and thanked god that Jim finally had found someone to belong to. 

* * *

Jack had heard, smelled and felt Jim and Blair bond and he could feel a sting of jealousy. What every Sentinel wanted was to have a Guide, and Jack was no exception. The only problem was that he worked in Vice and wasn't a part of the Cascade Clan so no matter what he did no one wanted to bond with him.

He couldn't really blame the Guides for not wanting, but something inside him whined in a sad voice at the thought of never finding his soul mate. 

When Jim and Blair came outside they both turned their heads in his direction. Blair's gaze was soft and understanding, while Jim's was made of stone and as cold as ice. Jack smiled an uneasy smile at them and climbed into Simon's car. 

They left the Prospect Avenue with an uneasy silence which Simon broke after a couple of minutes, "You knew that they were in the loft before we kicked the door in." Jack just nodded his answer and Simon glared at him. 

"Ah, hell Jack... I know that you want a Guide, but you just can't look at Sandburg that way or Jim will rip your heart out." 

Jack nodded again, "I know captain and I'm sorry I just got this weird feeling that if I didn't see them today I would never see either of them again." 

Simon just grunted and continued towards the police station. He had had enough of all this Sentinel crap for a while and just wanted to be a captain again. 

* * *

Jim and Blair arrived after the other two in Jim's truck. They got out and headed towards the elevator. When Jim pushed the button for the seventh floor and Major Crimes he turned towards Blair. "One glance from the wrong person and I don't think I can hold myself back," He said with a strained voice and a taunt body.

"Okay, relax man. I know how you feel, I feel the same way. It's probably the Dark Bond between us that is getting possessive and I know exactly what it means. But Jim, we have to make it. We can't just go around and punch every guy or woman that look at us the wrong way." Blair said with his Guide voice and Jim listened. 

"Okay Chief, but you stay close and don't talk to anyone okay?" 

Blair just shook his head and got on the lift. They were alone and he pulled Jim down so he could pull the irritating shirt out of his way and bite his Sentinel on the neck. When he did it Jim's whole body relaxed and he could feel Blair's determination and support. 

"Claimed and marked Sentinel." Blair said with a grin and let go of Jim. Jim just looked stunned for a second, but when he got his bearings back he pulled Blair near and bit him on the neck too. 

"Claimed and marked Guide." And when Jim looked at Blair face, saw the shit eating grin there Jim groaned and understood that he had been set up. The thing was that it had worked and he was now calm and in control again. 

"Thanks Chief." 

"Anytime Jim." Blair said with a smug voice. He was so calm and in control that the thought that he would miss a school day didn't even come to mind. 

* * *

They entered the bullpen and every head in the place turned in their direction and Blair could sense that Jim tensed. He then lowered his voice to 'Sentinel soft' and said, "Want me to bite you again." And when he said that Jim huffed a laugh and relaxed.

"That wouldn't be such a good idea Chief." He said with a low voice and knocked at the Captain's door. 

"Come in," they heard Simon say and opened the door. Inside the office there were three men, which Blair just knew meant trouble. 

"So what's the deal Captain?" Jim said and pushed Blair behind him with a firm hand, before either of the men had got a glimpse of Blair. He didn't trust the men in this room, except for Simon and maybe Jack, so he kept a good eye on the men and a firm grip of his Guide. 

"We have a kidnapping case on our hands and these gentlemen here are from the FBI to help with the case." Jim just knew that Simon didn't like that one bit. "And it's now your and Jack's case together with these men. All the kidnapped persons have been prostitutes which makes it Jack's case to." He explained when one of the men in suit wrinkled his nose. 

Jim just nodded and smiled a little towards Jack. He wanted the other man to know that he rather be working with Jack than with any other of these clowns in suits. Jack got the meaning of the look and had to turn away not to start laughing like and idiot. Blair started to snigger behind Jim's back, which told the two Sentinels that he had understood the exchange. That made Jim smile and he gave Blair a hug, as much as he could hug him with said sniggering Guide at his back. 

The three men in the suits quickly presented themselves as George Hansen, Phill Rubeck and Jeff Norberg. Those names made Blair sicker more and it was lucky he was hiding behind Jim or his laughing would have been seen as somewhat rude. Jim and Jack shook hands and gave the men their names, but when Jeff tried to shake Blair's hand he got a snarl and a firm hand around his wrist. 

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Jim hissed and gripped the wrist harder. Only Blair's plea to let go made Jim relax and take a step back. 

Simon continued, "Now that everyone know each other we can--" but he was interrupted by George, "Just who the hell do you think you are to hurt one of my men like that?" Jim and George had been staring at each other for a while. 

"A Sentinel protecting his Guide from scum like you." He said with a calm voice and he could feel Blair's agreement over how he handled the situation, and with the Guide's permission he looked over at Simon, "Sorry sir, but I can't work with these men. They have absolutely no respect for my Guide and I can't accept that." Simon sighed, "All right I'll call the mayor right away." 

When he said that George, Phill and Jeff sprung into action. Phill took hold of Jack and pressed a gun to his head. Jeff kicked Jim in the stomach and grabbed hold of the Guide, he then pressed a gun to the smaller man's face. George had not moved one inch but had his gun in hand. 

"I would drop that if I were you." He said to the captain and Simon dropped the phone. 

"All right, what do you want?" Simon said with his 'I don't care for any bullshit answers' look. The look didn't make George take a step back, but the growling from the floor told him to watch out. 

"What the hell!" George shouted when he saw that detective Jim Ellison had developed claws and sharp teeth. 

Jeff saw it too and didn't stand a chance as Jim pounced and ripped his throat out. Jim then turned for George and Phill, but a hand on his arm stopped him and he calmed down when he felt his Guide's hand on his. At once the beast in him calmed down and the claws and teeth disappeared. 

During the commotion with Jeff, Jack had disarmed Phill and were just going to cuff him when a shot rang out. He jumped, but discovered that it wasn't him that had a hole through his chest but Phill. 

"What the--?" He said and looked at Jim. Jim had his gun out and was staring at Phill. 

"He had a knife and were going to use it, on you." Was the only explanation and Jack smiled and stood. "Thanks Jim." Jim smiled back and they all turned towards George. 

"Now George," Simon said with the captain voice and motioned for Jim and Jack to disarm the man. Everything went smooth and during the interrogation they found out that a man named Claus Heinrich had hired them to assassinate the captain of Major Crimes and as many as possible before they were killed, captured or escaped. 

Jim just snarled and acted like a caged animal during the whole interrogation. Not only had they threatened his captain and friend but they also had almost killed his Guide. 

Jim didn't want to see the man in prison, he wanted the man dead and according to Sentinel law he was. So when George was taken away they didn't take him to prison, but a much more scary and darker place, named the Sengui court. It was a court that treated just Sentinel and Guide cases and in that court George was found guilty of attempted murder and were execute later that day. 

Jim was happy now that everyone was safe, but he couldn't ignore his Guide's looks and touches anymore. So after he had cleaned up the blood, from his killing of Jeff, he grabbed the Guide and almost tossed the Guide into one of the interrogation rooms. 

Blair just looked at him with calm eyes and tilted his head to one side, "Wanna tell me about it?" When Jim just stood there looking at him Blair took Jim in his arms and hugged him, "Thank you Jim, you saved my life." 

When Blair said that Jim's barriers fell and he went to the floor with his Guide's arms around him and his Guide's barriers protecting him. He sobbed into the other man's neck and held on for dear life as Blair stroked his back and talked with a soothing voice about everything and nothing. 

"I almost lost you." Jim got out after ten minutes of silence. 

"But you didn't Jim, and that was all thanks to your doing. I'm happy that you protected me, not angry or anything. You gotta believe me man." Blair said with a soothing voice and then dropped his head and stared at his hands, "I love you." 

Jim's head snapped up at that and he tried to get a grip of his spinning emotions. They hadn't said anything about it before, but Jim just knew that what Blair just said was true. He could feel Blair's barrier around him and knew that he was speaking the truth. 

"You love me..." Jim said with an awed voice and Blair head came up to meet his eyes. He then grabbed Blair's head with his hand's and said with a strong but calm voice, "I love you too Blair." 

When he said that the world around them disappeared and they were all of a sudden in a jungle. The humid air and smells caressed Jim and he knew that this was his place. Blair on the other hand had just dreamt of this place earlier this morning and was feeling a little lost. 

"Where are we Jim?" He asked and looked around. Everything was covered in a blue tone and he started to recognise the place. "Oh my god, this is your jungle isn't it, Jim?" Blair said with an awed voice and looked at Jim. Jim just nodded and stood, he then helped Blair to his feet and they stood there waiting. 

"Wait, this isn't some sort of test now..." Blair said and gulped, "To see if our love is strong enough or something like that." 

When Jim didn't say anything he looked at the Dark Sentinel and saw that he had a smile on his face and was looking far beyond Blair's reach of sight. 

"What do you see, Sentinel?" Blair then said in his Guide voice and Jim answered immediately, "A temple, Guide." 

All right, Blair thought and scratched his head. "Can you take us there?" The Guide asked and the Sentinel started to walk with a hand around his Guide. 

* * *

In the clearing by the temple two panthers stood and waited for the two men to arrive. Jim smiled towards the panther with the sky blue eyes like himself. Blair looked at both panthers and placed himself behind Jim. The gesture reassured Jim that his Guide was safe and he nodded towards the other panther with the green eyes.

The panther with the green eyes then morphed into Jack Weiss and Jim smiled towards the man. "I didn't know that you knew about this place," Jim said and Jack smiled. 

"It was your Guide that showed me this place." Jack said, and lucky for Blair Jim didn't take offence of the sentence. 

"I know... but you don't belong in my jungle, you have to find your own and share it with your own Guide." 

Jack shook his head, "I can't find my Guide and no matter what I do they all just run away when they see me." 

Blair now stepped in front of Jim, but Jim didn't move to stop him, "Jack, you just haven't found the right Guide yet. I didn't know about Jim until the day I got hurt and no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't keep on running. You see, when you find your true Guide nothing, and I mean nothing, can keep you apart." 

But when Blair were about to put a reassuring hand on Jack's arm Jim stepped forward and grabbed his Guide's hand. "It's not your task to comfort him, Chief. He has to find his own Guide who can do that," He growled, "You are not going to give comfort to him, I'm the only one you ever have to give comfort too!" Jim was now shouting and both Jack and Blair took a step back. 

Jim didn't care about Jack, but when he saw the scared look on his Guide's face he quickly got down on his knees and reached for his Guide. "Please Blair, you have to understand that I can't stand the thought of you touching another Sentinel." He said with a pleading voice and the Guide in Blair reached for his Sentinel and sank down into Jim's warm embrace. 

"I'm sorry..." Blair said and hugged Jim tighter. Jim just shook his head and pressed his Guide closer. 

* * *

Jack woke up from the vision with a snap. He understood that the jungle had tossed him out now that the two men that owned the jungle had come to an understanding.

The sting of jealousy wasn't there anymore and with a determined look on his face he set out to start the investigation of the kidnappings. He couldn't wait for the other two men, he felt a hurry deep within. 

He cleared it all with Simon and his own captain and after a couple of hours he was on his way to one of the biggest strip club in the city. His task was to infiltrate the club as a stripper and that wouldn't be so hard with his body. He smiled a feral smile as he walked down the street in his tight jeans, tighter t-shirt which didn't reach all the way down to the jeans and the loose fitted shirt over. 

If his mother could see him now Jack would know that she would be proud of him. To have a prostitute as mother had some advantages, because now he had both her teaching and his own experience to lean back on to crack this case wide open. 

* * *

Jim let go of Blair after a while and looked around, "Jack is gone." Blair just nodded and looked at the panther.

"So this is your animal spirit." It was not a question, but a statement and both Jim's and the panther's ears stood at attention of the Guide voice. 

Blair leaned down and started to stroke the panther over his big and soft head. "You are just as beautiful as your human counterpart," Blair said with a smile and leaned down and gave the panther a kiss on the nose. Both Jim's and the panther's nose twitched and Blair continued to stroke the big animal. 

"So Jim and Enqueri," Blair said with wonder, where had that name come from, but he let the thought go and continued, "I'm your Guide." The panther meowed his agreement and Jim nodded and stepped closer to the Guide. 

"Does that mean that you both has to listen to me," at the positive head shakes he smiled, "just so you know guys, I will not let this partnership be about me running the show, all right? I want an equal relationship, and that means that I'll have to listen to you too." 

When the panther licked his hand and Jim came up from behind and gave him a hug he knew that he had made the right decision and smiled at them both. "Do you want to meet my animal spirit?" and when both the panther and Jim smiled Blair whistled. 

From the thick jungle they all could hear a wolf howl and then twigs snapping and before they had the time to react they had their arms full of timber wolf. The wolf yipped happily and licked Jim, Blair and last the panther. When the panther and the wolf eyes met they started to howl and roar and the whole jungle came to life. Jim was almost overwhelmed by all the sounds and with a helpful word from Blair he dialed it down. 

"Holy shit." Jim said and grinned at Blair, "I think we just woke the whole forest." And when he said that the panther and wolf jumped at each other and merged. They weren't two spirits anymore, but one and both Jim and Blair could feel it. 

"Do you get the feeling that they are grinning at us," Blair said with a laugh and Jim had to laugh too, because that was what he had thought just a second before Blair said it. 

"Yeah, and I also get the feeling that they want us to do this," Jim grinned and pounced on the smaller man while Blair just continued to laugh. 

In the temple they completed their bond by using the two stone baths that stood in the temple chamber. 

* * *

Dark Partners  
By FanFic_Addict

Blair and Jim entered Simon's office with a knock. The captain sat at his desk fuming, the cigar smoke making Jim sneeze. 

"Where the hell have you two been!? I've already sent Jack Weiss to infiltrate the strip club to start the investigation." Simon growled and looked at his detective. 

Jim just grinned and hugged Blair closer, "I'm sorry Simon." He said with a smug voice and nuzzled the younger man's neck. Simon just 'humph'ed and continued to stare at them. 

"We're sorry Captain Banks." Blair said with an honest expression and Simon relaxed a little. "We just got distracted for a second," now with a blush and Simon smiled. 

"I can _see_ that." Simon said and motioned for them to sit. Jim sat down in the chair and pushed Blair down to sit on his lap. When Jim did that Simon almost dropped his cigar and choked on his coffee. 

Blair glared at Jim and was about to go and help Simon when Jim grabbed him and shook his head. The last thing Simon needed right now was a protective Guide stroking his back. Blair nodded and sat back down. When Simon got his bearings back the first thing he did was to glare at the two men. 

"I had the impression that you're supposed to be on a stakeout why are you still here in my office," Simon said with a strained voice and Jim almost smiled. 

"Well... what are we supposed to stake out?" Jim said with a grin and licked Blair's neck. Simon coughed some more and almost shouted, "The strip club that Detective Jack Weiss is infiltrating!" 

Jim nodded and his Guide stood. "Shall we go?" he said with a hand reaching for his mate, but before Jim had the time to take the hand Simon cleared his throat. 

"And where do you think you're going, kid?" Simon looked at Blair with an amused smile. 

"With Jim of course..." Blair said but quieted down, "or not..." 

"Of course you're coming with--" but before Jim had finished the sentence Simon cut in. 

"Oh no. He's not." When Jim turned his cold eyes at Simon, he almost gave in, but only almost. "He's not a cop and I can't send him on a police investigation without the proper paperwork done and you know that Jim." 

Jim then relaxed a little, but just the thought of leaving his Guide so soon after their bonding made him tense up again. "Sir, I can't just leave him..." he said with a pleading voice, but Simon didn't back down. 

Before anyone of them could say anything Blair stepped in and took Jim's hand in his own, "It will only take an hour, two tops, right? And I need to talk to Simon about my dissertation too. Please, Jim?" The puppy dog eyes were too much for Jim and he nodded. 

"All right, Chief, but just so we understand each other perfectly." He leaned down and bit the Guide's neck. Blair hissed and tilted his head back. 

"Claimed and marked Sentinel." Blair said with a smile, "Now get out of here and I'll join you in two hours." He pushed Jim out the door and turned to the captain. "Now sir, we need to talk." 

* * *

Two hours later Blair exited the police station with his observer badge and a big grin on his face. The talk with Simon had gone better than great and he now had a new dissertation. One about the closed society of Major Crime, he almost shouted in joy, but stopped himself and just smiled instead. He knew that his professor, Eli Stoddard, would understand why he wasn't at school today.

Now, how did he get to the strip club without pissing of his Sentinel more than necessary. He decided that he probably should get a lift with a patrol car, that way neither Jim nor he had to worry about the Joe public. 

Blair went back into the building and almost got run over by a black man and his partner. "Excuse me," Blair said and steadied himself. 

The black man was about to say something when he stopped abruptly and smelled the air, "Guide, where is your Sentinel?" 

Blair was stunned but said, "I need to get to him, could you help me?" 

The black man's partner nodded and smiled, "Sorry for the rude greeting of my partner. My name is Rafe and this is my partner Henri Brown." The well tailored man paused, "Wait, you are Sentinel Jim's guide, aren't you?" And with that the man called Rafe took Blair in a beer hug and said, "Nice to meet you, I'm Henri's Guide." 

Blair was let loose a second later and just stared at the two men. "Are you both crazy?" he asked with a confused expression, "You just smelled me and your Guide just hugged me, without Jim's permission. I mean, not that _I'm_ offended, but who are you?" 

Henri looked ashamed for a second, but quickly got a smile on his face, "We're detective Ellison's working colleagues from Major Crime, and we would be happy to give the Dark Guide a lift." The last bit was said with a grin and Blair smiled back. 

"Thanks guys." 

Rafe took him by the arm and led the way to the parking garage under the police department and ten minutes later they pulled to a stop outside a nasty looking place. 

"Is this it?" Blair asked and the other two grinned. 

* * *

Jim was on edge, even since he had left his Guide at the police station he had had this weird feeling of disconnection and he didn't like it one bit. He thought about calling Blair, but remembered that he didn't know if the other man had a mobile phone or anything other for that matter. The thought haunted him for the two hours he sat and waited for his Guide.

When he felt the pull of the bond and looked up he could see his Guide in a familiar looking car and realised that Sentinel Henri and his Guide Rafe had brought his Guide to him. The gesture made Jim smile and without a thought he stepped out of his car to walk and greet Blair. 

Blair sensed the Jim before Henri did and had to smile a knowing smile at Rafe. "I'm boned like you guys so you are no threat, but I don't think that you should touch me either way, H." 

Henri smiled and nodded, "I figured that much." They smiled at each other and Rafe gave him a hug. 

"See you later Blair." Rafe said and pushed Blair out of the car, "Now go and greet your Sentinel, he has waited long enough." And with that they were gone with a wave at Jim and a grin at Blair. 

"Well, be guarding the back exits," Henri said for Jim's ears and Jim smiled before they disappeared around a corner. 

Jim then closed the distance between him and Blair and started to scent the other man, "Henri has touched you." He said with a calm voice. Blair smiled at him and told about their little accident in the door. Jim just smiled and hugged Blair. 

"I'm glad you didn't go postal on me and started to punch Henri to a pulp. Man, that would have been like so bad for your karma." Blair said with a grin and hugged back. 

"I would never do that." Jim said with a laugh, "I respect Henri and I know that he wouldn't touch you without my permission." Jim explained and moved Blair towards his car. He didn't like the open street and all the people so close by. The car was much more protected. "So, how did the meeting go Darwin?" Jim asked with a smirk and listened to his Guide telling him everything about the meeting with Simon _and_ the mayor. 

* * *

Inside the club Jack Weiss were just finishing his first number on the stage, and as he left the stage a couple of men approached him and started to make propositions. He kindly declined them and said that he had to get ready for his next performance.

He could smell their pheromones and the club stank of old booze and horny men and women. Jack just couldn't stand it and fled to his little room at the end of the corridor backstage. It all reminded him of his mother. How could he work at a place like this when all the memories where starting to choke him. 

He wished that he could see his mother again, but the last time he had heard form her she had been in Seattle on her way south. A memory stirred in his mind and he grabbed it. Ah, he had forgot that she had left him to go south because of a man. That's it. 

That's why he hadn't heard from her, she was in love and on the way to start a new life with said love. She no longer had time for the bastard son she left in Cascade. The thought depressed him, but he bit his lower lip and forced the ache in his chest to go away. 

A knock on the door startled him and he turned around and opened the door. "Yes--?" Was the only thing he had time to say before someone had pressed a cloth with something on it to his face. The last thing he remembered was a beautiful man standing just a couple of feet to his left with a sad expression and then everything went black. 

* * *

Jim knew something were wrong even before the decided check in time had arrived. "Chief--" Was the only thing he could get out before the tension shut him up again.

"I noticed. What do you think it is?" Blair said with a concerned face and kept looking at the entrance. 

"I don't know, but I know that whatever it is, it's up to no good. Come on!" Jim said and left the car to take a closer look at the club. Blair followed and called for backup with Jim's mobile phone. 

They entered the club just as the backup arrived and all the people in the club hurried to get out before one of the cops decided to start asking questions, but the only thing in Jim's mind right then was to protect Jack and find the strange person responsible for this strange feeling. 

Blair walked just behind the Sentinel and looked around to see if he could recognise the feeling or maybe person, but he came up with a blank. He just knew that Jack wasn't here anymore and that Jim was as uneasy as him. 

"Let's check out Jack's room," Blair said and started to lead the way when Jim grabbed him around the waist and whispered, "There's something down that corridor Chief and I don't like it." 

Jim concentrated his senses and started to check the place top to bottom for any trace of Jack or the other strange person, but he didn't find anything, just that strange -- He stopped and took a step forward. 

"Chief, it a wounded animal down there." He said with a small voice and moved them slowly closer to the hunched form of a -- panther. 

Jack Weiss panther. 

"Shit, Chief, it's Jack's panther!" He said at the same time that Blair said, "Jack is hurt." They looked at each other and ran down the corridor to the animal. 

It hissed at them and tried to crawl away. Blair wouldn't let it and held tight. Shit, where was the Guide to this Sentinel when you needed him or her, Blair thought and helped the animal back to the jungle. He couldn't take the animal back to its own place so he helped it to enter their jungle instead and Jim's panther and his wolf took care of him at once. 

"Thanks guys." Blair said and left them. Jim was standing beside him, guarding. "I'm back, big guy. What are we going to do now?" he asked with an irritated face. Why couldn't a Guide just come out of the blue to help the other Sentinel, he was tired of being a substitute Guide. 

Jim smiled a little, he knew exactly what Blair was thinking about and almost laughed but restrained himself. "I think that I can trace the smell of him with a little help." He said to Blair with a big grin. Blair thumped him on the arm, but they got to work and after ten minutes they had a clue on which way they had taken off. 

Rafe and Brown joined the partners and waited to hear the outcome. Jim just looked at them and Blair shrugged, "He's focused on Jack's scent." He explained and continued to fill the other two detectives in on their discoveries. Henri reported everything to Simon and he told them to continue with the search. 

* * *

Jack came to with a killer headache. He moaned and tried to sit up, but the nausea that hit him made him lay back down again. Then the memories came back and he remembered that he had opened the door and then some chemical... Chloroform.

Those bastards had drugged him! He could feel the anger taking control of him, but then he remembered the beautiful man standing just a few feet away just before he had lost consciousness. The anger quickly left him and he started to search after the soothing heartbeat that had held him close when he had been carried away. 

He couldn't find it and that made him angry and irritated. Every time someone came with either food or water to him he just snarled and tried to find the missing man. 

Maybe this was what Blair had talked about, maybe this was the reaction to finding his guide but not being able to do it. That thought made him relax a little and concentrate on the fight that would either end his life or give it another chance. 

* * *

On the other side of the concrete wall a man sat and hugged his knees. He just knew that his Sentinel was on the other side waiting.

The madman, that was his boss had decided that they would earn bigger money if they kidnapped the right kind of people and sold them to the right people. That would be much more profitable than all the stealing that they had done earlier. The problem now though was that they both knew that they had captured a Sentinel and that they had been set up and the backup would soon be here to tear them all apart. 

The short and too thin man moved closer to the door and could feel the pull of the Sentinel. The Sentinel knew that he was there and that made him take a step back, but then he heard a voice from the other side of the big solid steel door. How the hell could he hear a voice through that door, but he did. 

"Shh, you don't have to be afraid, I won't hurt you." 

He stepped closer to the door and put his hand on the cool surface. At the same time he could hear a happy sigh from the other side and a voice that said, "That's it, you are safe here with me." 

Just when he was about to answer the voice on the other side he felt a hand on his shoulder throwing him away from the door and he hit the wall with a thud. His head hurt and now his veins started screaming for something to calm his hunger, but he ignored the call for the drug and just continued to hold onto the bond from the Sentinel. He then whispered, "I'm fine, just calm down." And he could feel the Sentinel take a calming breath and back down. 

He continued in a whisper, "I don't think that this is such a good idea. I mean, I'm a junkie and a thief. You don't deserve me and I don't deserve a Sentinel." When he said the last he could feel the Sentinel growl at him from the other side of the door. "Hey, I'm just stating the truth here," he said with a low voice and closed his eyes. 

A little while later he felt strong arms lifting him up in his shirt and then someone started to shout in his face. "What the fuck do you think you're doing Jun!? Do you want me to kill you or what!?" 

When he had said that the man could hear a terrifying sound from the other side of the door. The Sentinel on the other side of the door had reacted very badly to the threat to his Guide. 

"What the fuck?" Said the man and let go of Jun. Jun fell to the ground and started to crawl into himself, he could feel the craving of the drug take hold of him and he started shaking. 

The other man, named Bull, opened the door to the cell and that was the last thing he did. Because before he had time to think the Sentinel had snapped his neck and was hurrying towards his Guide. Jack took the shaking form of the smaller man in his arms and started to calm him down. "Shh, it's all right. I got you, you're safe now." Jack said and held the man close, "Your name's Jun right?" When Jun nodded Jack smiled. "My name is Jack Weiss and I'm your Sentinel." 

The Asian man named Jun smiled and hugged the other man closer, "I -- I could feel that when I first saw you." Jun said and buried his face in the other man's neck. Jack made soothing voices and rocked back and forth until the other man had stopped shaking. They sat like that for a long while until Jack could hear familiar voices and smiled when he could hear Jim shouting to the backup to check the floors. 

Jack then relaxed when he felt the reassuring presence of Blair, Jim, Henri and Rafe coming closer. He didn't think that he could have coped with anyone else right now. When Jim and Henri saw him down in the corridor they stopped and motioned for their Guides to handle the situation. They didn't want to make neither Jack nor his Guide nervous or uncomfortable. When Blair and Rafe took some steps closer Jack could feel his Guide take some calming breaths. 

"It's all right Jun, these two are my friends and they just want to help us out of here now that everything is over, okay?" When Jun nodded and relaxed Jack stood with his Guide tucked close in his arms. 

"Just great Jack," Blair said and came closer, "You have found your Guide and he looks like a nice fellow too." The smile on Blair face made the Asian man smile back and Jack started to relax too. "Hi, my name's Blair, this clothes horse here is Rafe and the black guy over there is Henri, Rafe's Sentinel. And that big guy over there," Blair pointed towards Jim, "Is my Sentinel and his name's Jim." 

Jun nodded, because he could feel no threat from either one of the Sentinels. He understood that this feeling must be the one of a boned pair and that he too would feel like that when he bonded with his Sentinel. As if reading his thoughts his Sentinel turned his head to him and smiled. 

After Blair and Rafe had checked both Jack and Jun for injuries they started to move out of the building. Jack kept a strong grip on his Guide and Jim, Henri, Rafe and Blair helped them get through the crowd of people and into an ambulance. 

"We have to take you two to a hospital," Jim said with an apology, but Jack just smiled and climbed into the ambulance with his precious burden in his arms. When the door closed and the ambulance took of the two Guides followed the ambulance while the Sentinel's stayed on the crime scene and took care of the suspects. 

* * *

Rafe and Blair were waiting in the waiting room for some news of the Sentinel and his Guide, but none would talk to them because they weren't family. Not even Rafe's police badge had made any difference and they waited in silence. In the end none of them could stand it and started to pace and curse all over the place and it was Blair's "oh, shit..." that made Rafe look up and see two doctors walking towards them.

The doctors greeted them with calm eyes and one of them, named McKey, started to talk, "Are you detectives?" Rafe nodded and Blair held his mouth. "Well, there were some temporary injuries on both of them, except that Mr. Genji has a drug addiction." 

They both took a deep breath and Blair asked, "So, they will be all right?" 

The doctors smiled and the other, named Rose, nodded and said, "They will be just fine, we just want to keep them here for observation for 24 hours and then they are free to go. About the drug problem, we have very good people that could help your friend." 

Blair and Rafe smiled and they shook hand with the doctors and then they left. The two friends were just standing there and grinning like idiots when their Sentinels found then a while later. 

"All right, why are you grinning in my absence?" Henri asked his Guide and gave him a pinch on the but. 

"Henri!" Rafe smiled and thumped the black man on the arm, "I'm just happy that Jack and Jun will be all right." 

When Rafe said that both Jim and Henri started to grin like idiots too and Blair and Rafe rolled their eyes. 

"And they said that we looked like idiots..." Blair snorted and was gathered up in a bear hug by Jim. "Heeeey, maan... I can't breathe." Blair gasped and Jim just kissed him on the tempting lips and Blair gave up the idea to get air and enjoyed the kiss instead. 

"You are so awesome Chief." Jim said when he let go of Blair lips and loosened the grip on the younger man. Blair just gasped and then gave Jim one of the biggest smiles in history. The smile lit up the room and even Henri and Rafe could see the joy in the smaller man. 

"Wow..." Jim breathed when Blair hugged him tight, "you give me a smile like that again and I would faint." He said with love and sat down with Blair on his knees. 

"Why would you faint? I was just smiling." Blair said with a laugh and kissed Jim on the nose. 

"Nothing 'just' about that smile Chief." Jim said with a low voice and Henri nodded. Even Rafe had to agree and he hadn't even Sentinel sight. Blair just shrugged and burrowed his head in Jim's neck. 

"Wake me up when we have to leave." Blair said and with a sigh he was asleep against his Sentinel. 

* * *

Jack was sitting beside his Guide and monitored the other man's heartbeat and breathing. He didn't trust the machines so he had prepared for a long night of guarding his Guide.

When he felt the presence of another Sentinel and Guide he didn't even turn his face towards the newcomers. He instead continued to watch his Guide and let the other two be. 

Henri and Rafe had volunteered to watch over Jack and Jun and they smiled when Jack didn't greet them. They knew that the other Sentinel were unstable because ha hadn't bonded and were afraid that his Guide would leave him if he didn't keep watch. Henri sat down in a chair by the door while Rafe took a place beside the hospital bed. 

Jack saw him and just nodded before he went back to the task of guarding, but finally sleep claimed him and he felt safe enough to let go. Jack knew that Henri and Rafe would watch over them. 

* * *

Jim took Blair home when Simon gave the all clear and hung up. Blair was still asleep and Jim didn't want to wake him, so he carried the Guide to his truck and took him home.

When he walked through the door at the loft Blair started to wake up. "Jim..?" he said with a sleepy voice and yawned. 

Jim smiled a sweet smile that made Blair's heart jump and his breath hitch. Oh my god, he had never seen anyone smile like that to him before. That made Blair's eyes fill with tears and Jim had to contain himself from fussing over Blair when said Guide started crying. 

"Chief, are you okay?" he asked with a calm and soothing voice. 

Blair's breath hitched again, and after a while he got himself under control and smiled, "Yeah, I'm all right." 

"Then why are you crying?" Jim said with a kiss at the wet eyelids and carried Blair upstairs to their bed. 

"I'm happy..." was Blair's answer and Jim understood more than what Blair said. He could feel all the emotions that floated around inside his Guide. 

"I'm happy too, Blair." Jim smiled and laid them down on the bed and pushed down Blair so that he was covering the smaller man with his body. "I love you." 

"I love you too man." Blair answered and snuggled closer and after a minute he was asleep with a warm fussy feeling in his heart for the first time in his life. 

And with that their lives began. Together. 

The End 

* * *

End 

Dark Path by Fanfic_Addict: zazza_fire@hotmail.com  
Author and story notes above.

Disclaimer: _The Sentinel_ is owned etc. by Pet Fly, Inc. These pages and the stories on them are not meant to infringe on, nor are they endorsed by, Pet Fly, Inc. and Paramount. 


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